Oreo Cupcakes!

Oreo Cupcakes!

First off, if I could start the recipe over with some tweaks, I totally would! This one was a request and a pain in the tush. Enough about my keester! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
Yields 24 Cupcakes
24 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached
2¼ cups all-purpose flour 
1 tsp. baking powder 
½ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature 
1 2/3 cup sugar 
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
 2 tsp. vanilla extract 
1 cup milk 
20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped (I quarter them) 
(For the Frosting)
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract 
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. heavy cream
Oreo cookie crumbs 
24 Oreo cookie halves

• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line the wells of two cupcake pans with 24 paper liners. Place an Oreo halve in the bottom of each liner, cream side up. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir together with a fork to blend and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Blend in the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, beat in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Add the milk and beat just until combined, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Gently fold in the chopped Oreos with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated, being careful not to over-mix.
  
  Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  
  To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Blend in the vanilla extract. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the heavy cream to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed just until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 4 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  
  Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired. Sprinkle with Oreo crumbs and garnish with Oreo halves.

Flour, baking powder & salt mix

Line each liner with the better half of an Oreo

Sugar & butter (before)

Sugar & butter (after 4ish minutes of beating on Med.)

After adding the milk and flour mixture

I cut the Oreo's into quarters, pretty easy to do, too!

Save the crumbs!

Fold in the Oreos

Don't forget to take a break! :)

Starting the frosting, cream cheese and butter on med/high for 5 minutes

After the cream, vanilla & powdered sugar

Add the crumbs!